New gTLD Program
Community Priority Evaluation Report
Report Date: 6 October 2014
Application ID:
Applied-for String:
Applicant Name:

1-1713-23699
Gay

dotgay llc

Overall Community Priority Evaluation Summary
Community Priority Evaluation Result
Did Not Prevail
Thank you for your participation in the New gTLD Program. After careful consideration and extensive
review of the information provided in your application, including documents of support, the Community
Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application did not meet the requirements specified in the
Applicant Guidebook. Your application did not prevail in Community Priority Evaluation.
Your application may still resolve string contention through the other methods as described in Module 4 of
the Applicant Guidebook.
Panel Summary
Overall Scoring

10 Point(s)Criteria#1: Community Establishment#2: Nexus between Proposed String and Community#3: Registration Policies#4: Community Endorsement
Total

Earned404210Achievable
4
4
4
4
16

Minimum Required Total Score to Pass 14

Criterion #1: Community Establishment
4/4 Point(s)1-A Delineation
2/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the community as defined in the application
met the criterion for Delineation as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the
Applicant Guidebook, as the community defined in the application is clearly delineated, organized and preexisting. The application received the maximum score of 2 points under criterion 1-A: Delineation.
Delineation
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for delineation: there must be a clear, straightforward
membership definition and there must be awareness and recognition of a community (as defined by theapplicant) among its members.

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The community defined in the application (“.GAY1”) is drawn from:…individuals whose gender identities and sexual orientation are outside of the norms defined forheterosexual behavior of the larger society. The Gay Community includes individuals who identify
themselves as male or female homosexuals, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, ally and manyother terminology - in a variety of languages - that has been used at various points to refer most
simply to those individuals who do not participate in mainstream cultural practices pertaining togender identity, expression and adult consensual sexual relationships. The Gay Community has also
been referred to using the acronym LGBT, and sometimes the more inclusive LGBTQIA2. The
most common and globally understood term - used both by members of the Gay Community and in
the world at large - is however “Gay”.
The application further elaborates the requirements of the above individuals to demonstrate membership in
the community:
The membership criterion to join the Gay Community is the process of ‘coming out’. This process is
unique for every individual, organization and ally involving a level of risk in simply becoming visible.
While this is sufficient for the world at large in order to delineate more clearly, dotgay LLC is also
requiring community members to have registered with one of our Authenticating Partners (processdescribed in 20E). The Authentication Partners are the result of a century or more of community
members voluntarily grouping themselves into gay civic organizations. Membership in the Gay
Community is not restricted by any geographical boundaries and is united by a common interest in
human rights.
This community definition shows a clear and straightforward membership and is therefore well defined.
Membership is “determined through formal membership with any of dotgay LLC’s [the applicant’s]
Authentication Partners (AP) from the community”, a transparent and verifiable membership structure that
adequately meets the evaluation criteria of the AGB.
In addition, the community as defined in the application has awareness and recognition among its members.
The application states:
As the foundation of the community, membership organizations are the single most visible entry
point to the Gay Community around the world. They serve as “hubs” and are recognized as
definitive qualifiers for those interested in affirming their membership in the community. The
organizations range from serving health, social and economic needs to those more educational andpolitical in nature; with each having due process around affirming status in the community. In
keeping with standards currently acknowledged and used within the community, dotgay LLC will
utilize membership organizations as APs to confirm eligibility. APs must meet and maintain thefollowing requirements for approval by dotgay LLC:
1. Have an active and reputable presence in the Gay Community
2. Have a mission statement that incorporates a focus specific to the Gay Community
3. Have an established policy that affirms community status for member enrolment
4. Have a secure online member login area that requires a username & password, or other securecontrol mechanism.
1 In this report the community as defined by the application is referred to as the “.GAY community” instead of the “gaycommunity” or the “LGBTQIA community”. The “.GAY community” is understood as the set of individuals andassociated organizations defined by the applicant as the community it seeks to represent under the new gTLD. “Gaycommunity” or “LGBTQIA community” are used as vernacular terms to refer to LGBTQIA individuals andorganizations, whether or not explicitly included in the applicant’s defined community. This use is consistent with thereferences to these groups in the application.
2 The Applicant notes with regard to its use of the term LGBTQIA that “LGBTQIA – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Ally is the latest term used to indicate the inclusive regard for the extent of the Gay
Community.” This report uses the term similarly.

Page 2Based on the Panel’s research and materials provided in the application, there is sufficient evidence that themembers as defined in the application would cohere as required for a clearly delineated community. This isbecause members must be registered with at least one Authenticating Partner (AP). The AP must have both a“presence in the Gay Community”, and also “incorporate a focus specific to the Gay Community.” Byregistering as a verifiable member with an AP with these characteristics, individuals would have both anawareness and recognition of their participation and membership in the defined community.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the community as defined in the application
satisfies both of the conditions to fulfill the requirements for delineation.
Organization
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for organization: there must be at least one entity
mainly dedicated to the community, and there must be documented evidence of community activities.
There are many organizations that are dedicated to the community as defined by the application, althoughmost of these organizations are dedicated to a specific geographic scope and the community as defined is a
global one. However, there is at least one entity mainly dedicated to the entire global community as defined:
the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). According to the letter of
support from ILGA:
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is the only
worldwide federation of more than 1,200 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI)
national and local organizations, fighting for the rights of LGBTI people. Established in 1978 in
Coventry (UK), ILGA has member organizations in all five continents and is divided into six
regions; ILGA PanAfrica, ILGA ANZAPI (Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia and Pacific Islands),
ILGA Asia, ILGA Europe, ILGA LAC (Latin America and Caribbean) and ILGA North America.
The community as defined in the application also has documented evidence of community activities. This isconfirmed by detailed information on ILGA’s website, including documentation of conferences, calls toaction, member events, and annual reports.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the community as defined in the application
satisfies both conditions to fulfill the requirements for organization.
Pre-existence
To fulfill the requirements for pre-existence, the community must have been active prior to September 2007
(when the new gTLD policy recommendations were completed).
The community as defined in the application was active prior to September 2007. According to theapplication:…in the 20th century a sense of community continued to emerge through the formation of the firstincorporated gay rights organization (Chicago Society for Human Rights, 1924). Particularly after
1969, several groups continued to emerge and become more visible, in the US and other countries,
evidencing awareness and cohesion among members.
Additionally, the ILGA, an organization representative of the community defined by the applicant, as
referred to above, has records of activity beginning before 2007. LGBTQIA individuals have been active
outside of organizations as well, but the community as defined is comprised of members of [AP]organizations.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the community as defined in the application
fulfills the requirements for pre-existence.

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1-B Extension
2/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel determined that the community as identified in the application
met the criterion for Extension specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the
Applicant Guidebook, as the application demonstrates that the community meets the requirements for sizeand demonstrates longevity. The application received a maximum score of 2 points under criterion 1-B:
Extension.
Size
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for size: the community must be of considerable size,
and it must display an awareness and recognition of a community among its members.
The community as defined in the application is of considerable size. While the application does cite global
estimates of the self-identified gay/LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and ally)
population (1.2% of world population), it does not rely on such figures to determine the size of its
community. This is because the applicant requires that any such LGBTQIA individual also be a member ofan AP organization in order to qualify for membership of the proposed community. According to theapplication:
Rather than projecting the size of the community from these larger global statistical estimates,
dotgay LLC has established a conservative plan with identified partners and endorsing organizations(listed in 20F) representing over 1,000 organizations and 7 million members.
The size of the delineated community is therefore still considerable, despite the applicant’s requirement thatthe proposed community members must be members of an AP.
In addition, as previously stated, the community as defined in the application has awareness and recognition
among its members. This is because members must be registered with at least one Authenticating Partner(AP). The AP must have both a “presence in the Gay Community3”, and also “incorporate a focus specific to
the Gay Community.” By registering as a verifiable member with an AP with these characteristics, individuals
would have both an awareness and recognition of their participation and membership in the definedcommunity.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the community as defined in the application
satisfies both of the conditions to fulfill the requirements for size.
Longevity
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for longevity: the community must demonstrate
longevity and must display an awareness and recognition of a community among its members.
The community as defined in the application demonstrates longevity. The pursuits of the .GAY community4
are of a lasting, non-transient nature. According to the application materials:…one of the first movements for the human rights of the Gay Community was initiated by Magnus
Hirschfeld (Scientific Humanitarian Committee, 1897).
The organization of LGBTQIA individuals has accelerated since then, especially in recent decades and anorganized presence now exists in many parts of the world. Evidence shows a clear trend toward greater rates
of visibility of LGBTQIA individuals, recognition of LGBTQIA rights and community organization, both in
the US and other western nations as well as elsewhere.5 While socio-political obstacles to community
3 “Gay community” or “LGBTQIA community” are used as vernacular terms to refer to LGBTQIA individuals

and organizations, whether or not explicitly included in the applicant’s defined community.
4 The “.GAY community” is understood as the set of individuals and associated organizations defined by theapplicant as the community it seeks to represent under the new gTLD.
5 Haggerty, George E. "Global Politics." In Gay Histories and Cultures: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland, 2000.

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organization remain in some parts of the world,6 the overall historical trend of LGBTQIA rights andorganization demonstrates that the community as defined has considerable longevity.
In addition, as previously stated, the community as defined in the application has awareness and recognition
among its members. This is because members must be registered with at least one Authenticating Partner(AP). The AP must have both a “presence in the Gay Community”, and also “incorporate a focus specific to
the Gay Community.” By registering as a verifiable member with an AP with these characteristics, individuals
would have both an awareness and recognition of their participation and membership in the definedcommunity.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the community as defined in the application
satisfies both the conditions to fulfill the requirements for longevity.
Criterion #2: Nexus between Proposed String and Community
0/4 Point(s)2-A Nexus
0/3 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel determined that the application did not meet the criterion for
Nexus as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook.
The string does not identify or match the name of the community as defined in the application, nor is it awell-known short-form or abbreviation of the community. The application received a score of 0 out of 3
points under criterion 2-A: Nexus.
To receive the maximum score for Nexus, the applied-for string must match the name of the community or
be a well-known short-form or abbreviation of the community. To receive a partial score for Nexus, theapplied-for string must identify the community. According to the AGB, “‘Identify’ means that the applied forstring closely describes the community or the community members, without over-reaching substantiallybeyond the community.”
The applied-for string neither matches the name of the community as defined by the application nor does it
identify the defined community without over-reaching substantially, as required for a full or partial score on
Nexus. As cited above:
The membership criterion to join the Gay Community is the process of ‘coming out’. This process is
unique for every individual, organization and ally involving a level of risk in simply becoming visible.
While this is sufficient for the world at large in order to delineate more clearly, dotgay LLC is also
requiring community members to have registered with one of our Authenticating Partners (processdescribed in 20E).
The application, therefore, acknowledges that “the world at large” understands the Gay community to be anentity substantially different than the community the application defines. That is, the general population
understands the “Gay community” to be both those individuals who have “come out” as well as those whoare privately aware of their non-heterosexual sexual orientation. Similarly, the applied-for string refers to alarge group of individuals – all gay people worldwide – of which the community as defined by the applicant isonly a part. That is, the community as defined by the applicant refers only to the sub-set of individuals who
have registered with specific organizations, the Authenticating Partners.
As the application itself also indicates, the group of self-identified gay individuals globally is estimated to be
1.2% of the world population (more than 70 million), while the application states that the size of thecommunity it has defined, based on membership with APs, is 7 million. This difference is substantial and isindicative of the degree to which the applied-for string substantially over-reaches beyond the community
defined by the application.

6 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/gay-rights-world-best-worst-countries

Page 5Moreover, while the applied-for string refers to many individuals not included in the application’s definitionof membership (i.e., it “substantially over-reaches” based on AGB criteria), the string also fails to identify
certain members that the applicant has included in its definition of the .GAY community. Included in theapplication’s community definition are transgender and intersex individuals as well as “allies” (understood asheterosexual individuals supportive of the missions of the organizations that comprise the definedcommunity)7. However, “gay” does not identify these individuals. Transgender people may identify asstraight or gay, since gender identity and sexual orientation are not necessarily linked.8 Likewise, intersex
individuals are defined by having been born with atypical sexual reproductive anatomy9; such individuals are
not necessarily “gay”10. Finally, allies, given the assumption that they are heterosexual supporters of
LGBTQIA issues, are not identified by “gay” at all. Such individuals may be an active part of the .GAY
community, even if they are heterosexual, but “gay” nevertheless does not describe these individuals as
required for Nexus by the AGB. As such, there are significant subsets of the defined community that are not
identified by the string “.GAY”.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the applied-for string does not match nor
does it identify without substantially over-reaching the name of the community as defined in the application,
nor is it a well-known short-form or abbreviation of the community. It therefore does not meet therequirements for Nexus.
2-B Uniqueness
0/1 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel determined that the application did not meet the criterion for
Uniqueness as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant
Guidebook as the string does not score a 2 or a 3 on Nexus. The application received a score of 0 out of 1
point under criterion 2-B: Uniqueness.
To fulfill the requirements for Uniqueness, the “string has no other significant meaning beyond identifying thecommunity described in the application,” according to the AGB (emphasis added) and it must also score a 2 or a 3
on Nexus. The string as defined in the application cannot demonstrate uniqueness as the string does notscore a 2 or a 3 on Nexus (i.e., it does not identify the community described, as above,). The Community
Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the applied-for string is ineligible for a Uniqueness score of 1.
Criterion #3: Registration Policies
4/4 Point(s)3-A Eligibility
1/1 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application met the criterion for Eligibility
as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook, as
eligibility is restricted to community members. The application received a maximum score of 1 point undercriterion 3-A: Eligibility.
To fulfill the requirements for Eligibility, the registration policies must restrict the eligibility of prospective
registrants to community members. The application demonstrates adherence to this requirement byspecifying that:.gay is restricted to members of the Gay Community. Eligibility is determined through formal
membership with any of dotgay LLC’s Authentication Partners (AP) from the community.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application satisfied the condition to
fulfill the requirements for Eligibility.

7 This prevailing understanding of “ally” is supported by GLAAD and others: http://www.glaad.org/resources/ally
8 http://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender
9 http://www.isna.org/faq/what_is_intersex

10 “Gay” is defined by the Oxford dictionaries as “A homosexual, especially a man.” The applicant defines thecommunity as “individuals whose gender identities and sexual orientation are outside of the norms defined forheterosexual behavior of the larger society.”

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3-B Name Selection
1/1 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application met the criterion for Name
Selection as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook,as name selection rules are consistent with the articulated community-based purpose of the applied-for TLD.
The application received a maximum score of 1 point under criterion 3-B: Name Selection.
To fulfill the requirements for Name Selection, the registration policies must be consistent with thearticulated community-based purpose of the applied-for gTLD. The application demonstrates adherence tothis requirement by outlining the types of names that may be registered within the .Gay top-level domain,
including rules barring “[s]ensitive words or phrases that incite or promote discrimination or violent
behavior, including anti-gay hate speech.” The rules are consistent with the purpose of the gTLD. The
Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application satisfied the condition to fulfill therequirements for Name Selection.
3-C Content and Use
1/1 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application met the criterion for Content
and Use as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook,as the rules for content and use are consistent with the articulated community-based purpose of the appliedfor TLD. The application received a maximum score of 1 point under criterion 3-C: Content and Use.
To fulfill the requirements for Content and Use, the registration policies must include rules for content anduse for registrants that are consistent with the articulated community-based purpose of the applied-for
gTLD. This includes “efforts to prevent incitement to or promotion of real or perceived discrimination
based upon race, color, gender, sexual orientation or gender expression.”
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application satisfied the condition to
fulfill the requirements for Content and Use.
3-D Enforcement
1/1 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application met the criterion for
Enforcement as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant
Guidebook, as the application provided specific enforcement measures and appropriate appeal mechanisms.
The application received a maximum score of 1 point under criterion 3-D: Enforcement.
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for Enforcement: the registration policies must
include specific enforcement measures constituting a coherent set, and there must be appropriate appeals
mechanisms. The application outlines policies that include specific enforcement measures constituting a
coherent set. The application also outlines a comprehensive list of investigation procedures, andcircumstances in which the registry is entitled to suspend domain names. The application also outlines anappeals process, managed by the Registry, to which any party unsuccessful in registration, or against whom
disciplinary action is taken, will have the right to access. The Community Priority Evaluation panel has
determined that the application satisfies both the conditions to fulfill the requirements for Enforcement.
Criterion #4: Community Endorsement
2/4 Point(s)4-A Support
1/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application partially met the criterion for
Support specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook, as
there was documented support from at least one group with relevance. The application received a score of 1out of 2 points under criterion 4-A: Support.
To receive the maximum score for Support, the applicant is, or has documented support from, therecognized community institution(s)/member organization(s), or has otherwise documented authority torepresent the community. In this context, “recognized” refers to the institution(s)/organization(s) that,through membership or otherwise, are clearly recognized by the community members as representative of
the community. To receive a partial score for Support, the applicant must have documented support from atleast one group with relevance. “Relevance” refers to the communities explicitly and implicitly addressed by
the application’s defined community.

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The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the applicant was not the recognizedcommunity institution(s)/member organization(s), nor did it have documented authority to represent thecommunity, or documented support from the recognized community institution(s)/member organization(s).
(While the ILGA is sufficient to meet the AGB’s requirement for an “entity mainly dedicated to thecommunity” under Delineation (1-A), it does not meet the standard of a “recognized” organization. The
AGB specifies that “recognized” means that an organization must be “clearly recognized by the community
members as representative of the community.” The ILGA, as shown in its mission and activities, is clearly
dedicated to the community and it serves the community and its members in many ways, but “recognition”
demands not only this unilateral dedication of an organization to the community, but a reciprocal recognitionon the part of community members of the organization’s authority to represent it. There is no single suchorganization recognized by the defined community as representative of the community. However, theapplicant possesses documented support from many groups with relevance; their verified documentation of
support contained a description of the process and rationale used in arriving at the expression of support,
showing their understanding of the implications of supporting the application. Despite the wide array oforganizational support, however, the applicant does not have the support from the recognized community
institution, as noted above, and the Panel has not found evidence that such an organization exists. The
Community Priority Evaluation Panel has determined that the applicant partially satisfies the requirements
for Support.
4-B Opposition
1/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application partially met the criterion for
Opposition specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook,as the application did not receive any relevant opposition. The application received a score of 1 out of 2
points under criterion 4-B: Opposition.
To receive the maximum score for Opposition, the application must not have received any opposition of
relevance. To receive a partial score for Opposition, the application must have received opposition from, at
most, one relevant group of non-negligible size.
The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that there is opposition to the application from agroup of non-negligible size, coming from an organization within the communities explicitly addressed by
the application, making it relevant. The organization is a chartered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with fulltime staff members, as well as ongoing events and activities with a substantial following. The grounds of theobjection do not fall under any of those excluded by the AGB (such as spurious or unsubstantiated claims),
but rather relate to the establishment of the community and registration policies. Therefore, the Panel has
determined that the applicant partially satisfied the requirements for Opposition.
Disclaimer: Please note that these Community Priority Evaluation results do not necessarily determine thefinal result of the application. In limited cases the results might be subject to change. These results do notconstitute a waiver or amendment of any provision of the Applicant Guidebook or the Registry Agreement.
For updated application status and complete details on the program, please refer to the Applicant Guidebook
and the ICANN New gTLDs microsite at <newgtlds.icann.org>.

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